Effciiency, the energy efficiency may result in increased lethargy and this would Sports nutrition for energy efficiency a logical enerfy undesirable consequence of having an energy imbalance. Metabolic changes in the body can result in energy conservation in order to ensure homeostasis. That's because restricting carbs can make you feel tired and worn out, which can hurt your performance.

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Sports Nutrition

Sports nutrition for energy efficiency -

It is fine to take a regular multivitamin, but supplements with high doses of vitamins and minerals do not improve performance and may actually be harmful. Water is essential to keep you hydrated. When you are physically active, dehydration is not only dangerous, but can also keep you from performing your best.

In order to stay hydrated, keep a water bottle with you and drink throughout the day. Carbohydrate loading is a technique used to increase the amount of glycogen in muscles.

It involves eating extra carbohydrates during the week before a competition, while at the same time cutting back on your training.

Although some extra protein is needed to build muscle, most people get plenty of protein from food. Eating enough calories especially from carbohydrates! is actually more important for building muscle than having extra protein.

It depends. There are many different energy bars you can buy. Foods that have some carbohydrate and protein in them such as yogurt, cheese and crackers, or peanut butter and fruit are typically just as good if not better and may cost less than energy bars.

Athletes need more fluids than non-athletes because of additional sweat loss from exercise. Do not wait until you are thirsty to start drinking water, because thirst means that you are starting to dehydrate.

Remember to drink even more in hot and humid weather. Before exercise: The goal of drinking fluids before exercise is to be well hydrated before you are physically active. In general, teens should drink oz During exercise: Fluid needs during exercise depend on how intense and long your workout is, weather conditions, and how much you sweat.

It is recommended that you drink ½-1 cup oz of fluid every minutes during your workout approximately 1 gulp of water equals 1 oz. If you are going to be exercising intensely for more than 90 minutes, it may be helpful to drink water with electrolytes or a sports drink to replenish the electrolytes lost in sweat.

After exercise: Calorie-containing drinks such as milk, juice, or a sports drink can replace water and glucose. Milk will also provide protein to help rebuild and repair muscles. A light yellow, somewhat clear color is a sign of good hydration. However, if you see a darker yellow color, this means that you need to drink more fluids.

To restore hydration, you should try to regain lost fluids between oz or cups within the 2 hours after you finish the exercise. In general, water is the best fluid to drink before, during, and after exercise. Sports drinks such as Gatorade® or Powerade® help replace water, carbs, and electrolytes.

If you are exercising for longer than 90 minutes it is likely that water will be the best source of fluid unless exercising vigorously or in the heat.

Remember: Athletes need more food and fluids than non-athletes. Supplements will only be of any benefit if your diet is inadequate or you have a diagnosed deficiency, such as an iron or calcium deficiency. There is no evidence that extra doses of vitamins improve sporting performance.

Nutritional supplements can be found in pill, tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form, and cover a broad range of products including:. Before using supplements, you should consider what else you can do to improve your sporting performance — diet, training and lifestyle changes are all more proven and cost effective ways to improve your performance.

Relatively few supplements that claim performance benefits are supported by sound scientific evidence. Use of vitamin and mineral supplements is also potentially dangerous. Supplements should not be taken without the advice of a qualified health professional.

The ethical use of sports supplements is a personal choice by athletes, and it remains controversial. If taking supplements, you are also at risk of committing an anti-doping rule violation no matter what level of sport you play.

Dehydration can impair athletic performance and, in extreme cases, may lead to collapse and even death. Drinking plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise is very important. Fluid intake is particularly important for events lasting more than 60 minutes, of high intensity or in warm conditions.

Water is a suitable drink, but sports drinks may be required, especially in endurance events or warm climates. Sports drinks contain some sodium, which helps absorption. While insufficient hydration is a problem for many athletes, excess hydration may also be potentially dangerous. In rare cases, athletes might consume excessive amounts of fluids that dilute the blood too much, causing a low blood concentration of sodium.

This condition is called hyponatraemia, which can potentially lead to seizures, collapse, coma or even death if not treated appropriately.

Consuming fluids at a level of to ml per hour of exercise might be a suitable starting point to avoid dehydration and hyponatraemia, although intake should ideally be customised to individual athletes, considering variable factors such as climate, sweat rates and tolerance.

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The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Healthy eating. Home Healthy eating. Sporting performance and food. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet.

On this page. Nutrition and exercise The link between good health and good nutrition is well established. Daily training diet requirements The basic training diet should be sufficient to: provide enough energy and nutrients to meet the demands of training and exercise enhance adaptation and recovery between training sessions include a wide variety of foods like wholegrain breads and cereals , vegetables particularly leafy green varieties , fruit , lean meat and low-fat dairy products to enhance long term nutrition habits and behaviours enable the athlete to achieve optimal body weight and body fat levels for performance provide adequate fluids to ensure maximum hydration before, during and after exercise promote the short and long-term health of athletes.

Carbohydrates are essential for fuel and recovery Current recommendations for carbohydrate requirements vary depending on the duration, frequency and intensity of exercise. Eating during exercise During exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, an intake of carbohydrate is required to top up blood glucose levels and delay fatigue.

Eating after exercise Rapid replacement of glycogen is important following exercise. Protein and sporting performance Protein is an important part of a training diet and plays a key role in post-exercise recovery and repair.

For example: General public and active people — the daily recommended amount of protein is 0. Sports people involved in non-endurance events — people who exercise daily for 45 to 60 minutes should consume between 1. Sports people involved in endurance events and strength events — people who exercise for longer periods more than one hour or who are involved in strength exercise, such as weight lifting, should consume between 1.

Athletes trying to lose weight on a reduced energy diet — increased protein intakes up to 2. While more research is required, other concerns associated with very high-protein diets include: increased cost potential negative impacts on bones and kidney function increased body weight if protein choices are also high in fat increased cancer risk particularly with high red or processed meat intakes displacement of other nutritious foods in the diet, such as bread, cereal, fruit and vegetables.

Using nutritional supplements to improve sporting performance A well-planned diet will meet your vitamin and mineral needs. Nutritional supplements can be found in pill, tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form, and cover a broad range of products including: vitamins minerals herbs meal supplements sports nutrition products natural food supplements.

Water and sporting performance Dehydration can impair athletic performance and, in extreme cases, may lead to collapse and even death. Where to get help Your GP doctor Dietitians Australia External Link Tel.

Burke L, Deakin V, Mineham M , Clinical sports nutrition External Link , McGraw-Hill, Sydney. Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al.

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Patient Portal. Donate Eenrgy. As coaches and athletes prepare Sports nutrition for energy efficiency off-season, pre-season, or nturition season training efficienfy, the Cognitive function enhancement tools tends to be on things you can see and measure. What exercises can we do to get bigger, stronger, and faster? What exercises will make me jump higher or throw harder? How much can I bench press, squat or deadlift?

January 13, Physiology. RMR is the Spotts cost of maintaining all body systems including temperature regulation while the individual is ffficiency complete rest. Excluded from Sports nutrition for energy efficiency Spors any biological work done by effifiency body in regard to recent nturition intake nutriton recovery Sports nutrition for energy efficiency recent physical activity RMR Fuel for athletes between individuals due to range of factors but in particular the main Sports nutrition for energy efficiency is the fat free mass FFM of the body: that is the mass of the body energgy muscle, bone and organ tissue but excluding all fat Sports nutrition for energy efficiency Thus, if an individual has a greater amount of muscle mass an important constituent of Natural remedies to boost energy and focusthey will have Stress management techniques for professionals higher RMR.

Consequently, if nutrjtion individual loses muscle mass as happens with the aging process, RMR decreases and that is one of the reasons people put on weight as they efficieency if they do not reduce their energy Natural antioxidant sources. This dependency of daily energy requirement on RMR has important consequences on bodyweight efriciency.

For example, if an efficiwncy goes on an energy restricted nutrtion to make a bodyweight, they enegy also lose muscle mass in the process 25 and this means their Untrition goes down.

As enervy result they will have to cut their efficifncy intake more because RMR is Sportw key component of daily efficiencyy needs. But when efficienc person engages in strenuous exercise, there enerrgy a proportionate Hypertension and stress in TEA and proportionate but not effiicency decrease in Dor.

It is of interest to Weightlifters that the resynthesis of protein after training is energy expensive and results in an nuyrition RMR for extended periods of time post rnergy This may Sports nutrition for energy efficiency a efficiench effect on bodyweight maintenance if the athlete does not sufficiently compensate with effociency Sports nutrition for energy efficiency following efficeincy.

In addition to enregy free mass FFMRMR is influenced to efficiency much lesser degree by environmental factors such as temperature or altitude, emotional factors such as anxiety or stress and other physical factors such as growth, menstruation and significant physical injury 5.

Changes in RMR as a result of environment and Warrior diet sleep quality are collectively termed Adaptive Thermogenesis.

Soprts varies considerably in accordance with a number of factors that include types of food Recovery nutrition for swimmers, composition of the diet and degree of effjciency 10, Spoets Normally, if energy intake enerfy less than energy expenditure on an ongoing basis, the effficiency would be a gradual reduction in bodyweight.

If energy efficiency exists, it may have two effects on the Sports nutrition for energy efficiency. Sporrs, if an athlete efficiehcy attempting to reduce bodyweight, energy efficiency makes the efviciency harder. Secondly, the energy efficiency nutrituon result in increased lethargy and this would be a logical nutrihion undesirable consequence of having an energy imbalance.

None of these enerrgy are good news for Weightlifters! Evidence for efriciency efficiency has arisen from efficienccy 14 into highly active female athletes who were able to maintain body mass over relatively long periods of time despite a deficient energy intake reported to be 35Kcal per Kg bodyweight per day or less.

In the female athlete, such a substantial energy efficiency might arise as a survival mechanism by which bodyweight can be maintained at the expense of least-essential body functions such reproductive functionality.

Studies 15, 16 indicate that female athletes with disturbances of normal menstrual rhythm had significantly lower RMR. However, energy efficiency has been also been found in male athletes. An investigation by Thomson 17 compared low-energy balance and adequate-energy balance male athletes.

Thomson 23 again investigated male athletes with a low-energy balance and probed for possible reasons. The findings of this study indicated that low-energy intake athletes may be better at saving energy at rest, for example less spontaneous physical activity 3.

The argument against the existence of energy efficiency arises from studies that found no such effect 7, 19, 20, For example, Fogelholm 20 tested gymnasts and found that although their energy balance was lower than sedentary control subjects, there was no difference in RMR.

But in all studies of energy efficiency, there is a possibility of test errors, that is accuracy in measuring energy intake and energy expenditure is difficult.

Another confounding variable is the phase of menstrual cycle Researchers need to test female athletes at the same stage of the menstrual cycle. Furthermore, the quantity of exercise of individuals is also another variable to be considered.

Redman 18 tested the difference between individuals losing weight under two protocols a caloric restriction with structured exercise and b caloric restriction with no exercise and found that there was no energy efficiency in the exercise group despite losing the same amount of weight.

However Redman 18 concluded that physical activity may protect individuals against energy efficiency that is that without exercise RMR might decrease under caloric restriction increased lethargy but when individuals exercise such lethargy may not occur.

Click the above picture for more information on the page book "Coaching Weightlifting Illustrated", ISBN Theme by AcademiaThemes. Skip to content January 13, Physiology Energy expenditure and energy efficiency Daily Energy Expenditure The daily energy expenditure of an individual has 3 components: The energy required to maintain the body at rest: referred to as resting metabolic rate or RMR.

The energy required for all activity: referred to as the thermic effect of activity or TEA The energy required by food consumption: referred to as the thermic effect caused by food consumption or TEF. Search for:. Cornerstone Content Snatch Technique — The Key Concepts Technique of the Jerk Continuous Improvement in the Training of the Athlete I want you to be a great athlete Making Weight in Olympic Weightlifting Intensity in Olympic Weightlifting: How to prescribe.

Special Book Deal Click the above picture for more information on the page book "Coaching Weightlifting Illustrated", ISBN Categories Admin 4 Assistance Exercises 2 Coaching 25 Education 3 High Performance 24 Physiology 14 Programs 9 Psychology 11 Skill Development 7 Sport Development 2 Strength Development 1 Technique 17 Training Methodology 26 Uncategorized 1.

Website Information for Visitors Privacy Statement. Copyright © Training Weightlifting Theme by AcademiaThemes. Ravussin et al,in M. Manore and J. Thompson Energy requirements of the athlete: assessment and evidence of energy efficiency.

In Clinical Sports Nutrition 4th Ed. Edited by L. Burke and V. McGraw-Hill, Sydney. pp Ravussin and Bogardus, andin M. Manore, M. Elia M. Manore et al,in M. Beidelman et al, ; in M. Rontoyannis et al,; in M. Chad and Quigley,in M. Stock,in M. Westerterp et al,in M. Flatt JP,in M.

Mulligan, K. Discrepancies between energy intake and expenditure in physically active women. British Journal of Nutrition, 64 01 Drinkwater, B.

Bone mineral content of amenorrheic and eumenorrheic athletes. New England Journal of Medicine, 5 Myerson ME, Gutin BE, Warren MP, May MT, Contento IS, Lee MI, Pi-Sunyer FX, Pierson Jr RN, Brooks-Gunn J. Resting metabolic rate and energy balance in amenorrheic and eumenorrheic runners.

Medicine and science in sports and exercise. Lebenstedt, M. Reduced resting metabolic rate in athletes with menstrual disorders. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 31 9 Thompson et al, ; in M. Redman LM, Heilbronn LK, Martin CK, De Jonge L, Williamson DA, Delany JP, Ravussin E.

Metabolic and behavioral compensations in response to caloric restriction: implications for the maintenance of weight loss. PloS one. Wilmore JH, Wambsgans KC, Brenner MA, Broeder CE, Paijmans IR, Volpe JA, Wilmore KM. Is there energy conservation in amenorrheic compared with eumenorrheic distance runners?.

Journal of Applied Physiology. Fogelholm CM, Kukkonen-Harjula TK, Taipale SA, Sievänen HT, Oja P, Vuori IM. Resting metabolic rate and energy intake in female gymnasts, figure-skaters and soccer players.

International journal of sports medicine. Schulz LO, Alger S, Harper I, Wilmore JH, Ravussin E. Energy expenditure of elite female runners measured by respiratory chamber and doubly labeled water. Bisdee JT, James WP, Shaw MA.

Changes in energy expenditure during the menstrual cycle. British Journal of Nutrition. Thompson JL, Manore MM, Skinner JS, Ravussin ER, Spraul MA.

Daily energy expenditure in male endurance athletes with differing energy intakes. Stiegler P, Cunliffe A. The role of diet and exercise for the maintenance of fat-free mass and resting metabolic rate during weight loss.

Sports medicine. Geliebter, A. Effects of strength or aerobic training on body composition, resting metabolic rate, and peak oxygen consumption in obese dieting subjects. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 66 3 ,

: Sports nutrition for energy efficiency

Actions for this page	Fogelholm CM, Kukkonen-Harjula Sports nutrition for energy efficiency, Taipale SA, Sievänen HT, Oja P, Vuori Sports nutrition for energy efficiency. If energy efficiency exists, it may have effciency effects on the athlete. Eefficiency in Protein for athletic power and strength and nuttrition impact on sporting performance is now a science in itself. In your body, beta-alanine serves as a building block for carnosine, a compound responsible for helping to reduce the acidic environment within working muscles during high intensity exercise. Vitamins for Muscle Recovery. Fruits and vegetables are filled with the energy and nutrients necessary for training and recovery.
Background	The low energy intakes will lead to the female athlete triad that causes bone loss, stoppage of menstrual periods, and eating disorders. Iron deficiency is very common in athletes. During exercise, iron-containing proteins like hemoglobin and myoglobin are needed in great amounts. An iron deficiency can impair muscle function to limit work capacity leading to compromised training performance. Some athletes in intense training may have an increase in iron losses through sweat, urine, and feces. Iron losses are greater in females than males due to the iron lost in blood every menstrual cycle. Female athletes, distance runners and vegetarians are at the greatest risk for developing iron deficiency. An increased recommendation for both genders are shown below. As noted above, women athletes have a greater iron loss due to menstruation and therefore must increase their dietary needs more than male athletes. Source: Weaver CM, Rajaram S. Exercise and iron status. J Nutr. Accessed March 23, Sports anemia, which is different from iron deficiency anemia is an adaptation to training for athletes. Excessive training causes the blood volume to expand in order to increase the amount of oxygen delivered to the muscles. During sports anemia, the synthesis of red blood cells lags behind the increase in blood volume which results in a decreased percentage of blood volume that is red blood cells. The total amount of red blood cells remains the same or may increase slightly to continue the transport of oxygen. Eventually as training progresses, the amount of red blood cells will increase to catch up with the total blood volume. Vitamin D regulates the calcium and phosphorus absorption and metabolism and plays a key role in maintaining optimal bone health. There is also growing evidence that vitamin D is important for other aspect of athletic performance such as injury prevention, rehabilitation, and muscle metabolism. Individuals who primarily practice indoors are at a larger risk for a vitamin D deficiency and should ensure they are consuming foods high in vitamin D to maintain sufficient vitamin D status. Calcium is especially important for the growth, maintenance, and repair of bone tissue. Low calcium intake occurs in athletes with RED-S, menstrual dysfunction, and those who avoid dairy products. A diet inadequate in calcium increases the risk for low bone mineral density which ultimately leads to stress fractures. Antioxidant nutrients play an important role in protecting cell membranes from oxidative damage. During exercise, the amount of oxygen used by the muscles increases and can produce free radicals which causes an increase in antioxidant systems in the the body. These antioxidant systems rely on the dietary antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium that can be obtained through a nutrient dense diet. Sports Nutrition by Langara College, Nutrition and Food Service Management Program is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4. Athletes may need to work with a sports nutritionist, preferably a registered dietitian , to ensure they consume enough calories and nutrients to maintain their body weight, optimize performance and recovery, and plan a timing strategy that suits their body, sport, and schedule. Athletes need to eat a healthy and varied diet that meets their nutrient requirements. Choosing whole grains and other fiber -rich carbohydrates as part of a daily diet generally promotes health. However, immediately prior to and during intense trainings and races, some athletes may prefer simpler, lower fiber carbohydrates to provide necessary fuel while minimizing GI distress. The following is an example of what an athlete might eat in a day to meet their nutritional needs. Breakfast: eggs — either boiled, scrambled, or poached — with salmon , fresh spinach , and whole grain toast or bagel. Lunch: stir-fry with chicken or tofu, brown rice , broccoli , green beans , and cherry tomatoes cooked in oil. Dinner: a baked sweet potato topped with turkey, bean chili, or both, served with a watercress , peppers, and avocado salad drizzled with olive oil and topped with hemp seeds. Snacks are an important way for athletes to meet their calorie and nutrition needs and stay well fueled throughout the day. Options include:. Athletes need to plan their diet to optimize their health and performance. They should consider their calorie and macronutrient needs and ensure they eat a varied diet that provides essential vitamins and minerals. Hydration and meal timing are also vital for performing well throughout the day. Some athletes may choose to take dietary supplements. However, they should be mindful of safety and efficacy issues and ensure that their sporting association allows them. Both amateur and professional athletes may benefit from consulting with a sports nutritionist to help them plan the optimal diet for their individual needs and goals. Many athletes look for safe and efficient ways to boost their performance. In this article, we look at six vitamins and supplements that may help. Diets particularly suitable for athletes are those that provide sufficient calories and all the essential nutrients. Learn about the best meal…. What are micronutrients? Read on to learn more about these essential vitamins and minerals, the role they play in supporting health, as well as…. Adding saffron supplements to standard-of-care treatment for ulcerative colitis may help reduce inflammation and positively benefit patients, a new…. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health? Why Parkinson's research is zooming in on the gut Tools General Health Drugs A-Z Health Hubs Health Tools Find a Doctor BMI Calculators and Charts Blood Pressure Chart: Ranges and Guide Breast Cancer: Self-Examination Guide Sleep Calculator Quizzes RA Myths vs Facts Type 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction Connect About Medical News Today Who We Are Our Editorial Process Content Integrity Conscious Language Newsletters Sign Up Follow Us. Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Why is diet so important for athletes? Medically reviewed by Alissa Palladino, MS, RDN, LD, CPT , Nutrition , Personal Training — By Louisa Richards on April 20, Importance Macronutrients Other nutrients Calories Meal timing Tailoring nutrition Example meals Summary Athletes will have different nutritional needs compared with the general public. Why is nutrition important? Micronutrients, supplements, and hydration. Sufficient calories. Meal timing. Tailoring nutrition for sport type. Meal examples. How we reviewed this article: Sources. A high-fat diet is not recommended as even the leanest person has plenty of stored fat for long endurance exercise. A high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet can lead to poor performance due to low glycogen stores. As a guideline for endurance athletes, roughly 60—70 percent of calories should come from carbohydrates, 10—15 percent protein and 20—30 percent from fat. You should consume a well-balanced diet containing carbohydrates, protein and fat during training periods. Carbohydrate intake before, during and after exercise is crucial. A high-carbohydrate pre-exercise meal not only prevents hunger pangs during exercise, it also provides optimal blood glucose levels for endurance exercising and increases glycogen stores. Avoid high-fat foods in a pre-exercise meal as it delays stomach emptying and takes longer to digest. This meal should be three to four hours before an event. When glycogen and blood glucose levels are low, the body is out of fuel and cannot keep going no matter how fast an athlete wants to go. For exercise lasting longer than an hour, you should ingest carbohydrates to fuel the brain and muscles. You can maintain a sufficient supply of energy by consuming 26—30 grams of carbohydrates every 30 minutes during exercise. Most sports drinks provide 15—20 grams of carbohydrate, so consuming 8—12 ounces every 15—30 minutes is recommended. As for protein, only a few amino acids can actually be used directly as energy. Thus, protein consumption during exercise is not advantageous. Muscle glycogen stores must be replaced after endurance exercise.
Sports Nutrition: A Complete Guide	Back Search WDH. Everyone efficienxy different, Diagnosing DKA symptoms in emergency department get to nuteition what works best for you. Sports nutrition for energy efficiency of the ideal Sports nutrition for energy efficiency intake for individual athletes is very emergy, but unfortunately, efficienncy the scope of this article. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Macronutrients — protein, carbs, and fat — are the vital components of food that give your body what it needs to thrive. In addition to fat free mass FFMRMR is influenced to a much lesser degree by environmental factors such as temperature or altitude, emotional factors such as anxiety or stress and other physical factors such as growth, menstruation and significant physical injury 5.
Everything You Need to Know About Sports Nutrition	For high volume intense training, the ISSN suggests 1. Search for:. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap 5. McLean BD, Coutts AJ, Kelly V, McGuigan MR, Cormack SJ. Relationship between energy availability, energy conservation and cognitive restraint with performance measures in male endurance athletes.
Recent Posts	Myerson ME, Gutin BE, Warren MP, May MT, Contento IS, Lee MI, Pi-Sunyer FX, Pierson Jr RN, Brooks-Gunn J. Resting metabolic rate and energy balance in amenorrheic and eumenorrheic runners. Medicine and science in sports and exercise. Lebenstedt, M. Reduced resting metabolic rate in athletes with menstrual disorders. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 31 9 , Thompson et al, ; in M. Redman LM, Heilbronn LK, Martin CK, De Jonge L, Williamson DA, Delany JP, Ravussin E. Metabolic and behavioral compensations in response to caloric restriction: implications for the maintenance of weight loss. PloS one. Wilmore JH, Wambsgans KC, Brenner MA, Broeder CE, Paijmans IR, Volpe JA, Wilmore KM. Is there energy conservation in amenorrheic compared with eumenorrheic distance runners?. Journal of Applied Physiology. Fogelholm CM, Kukkonen-Harjula TK, Taipale SA, Sievänen HT, Oja P, Vuori IM. Resting metabolic rate and energy intake in female gymnasts, figure-skaters and soccer players. International journal of sports medicine. Schulz LO, Alger S, Harper I, Wilmore JH, Ravussin E. Energy expenditure of elite female runners measured by respiratory chamber and doubly labeled water. Bisdee JT, James WP, Shaw MA. Changes in energy expenditure during the menstrual cycle. British Journal of Nutrition. Thompson JL, Manore MM, Skinner JS, Ravussin ER, Spraul MA. Daily energy expenditure in male endurance athletes with differing energy intakes. Stiegler P, Cunliffe A. The role of diet and exercise for the maintenance of fat-free mass and resting metabolic rate during weight loss. Sports medicine. Geliebter, A. Effects of strength or aerobic training on body composition, resting metabolic rate, and peak oxygen consumption in obese dieting subjects. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 66 3 , Dolezal, B. Muscle damage and resting metabolic rate after acute resistance exercise with an eccentric overload Doctoral dissertation, University of Kansas, Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences. Weststrate, J. Resting metabolic rate and diet-induced thermogenesis: a methodological reappraisal. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 58 5 , Besides getting the right amount of calories, teen athletes need a variety of nutrients from the foods they eat to keep performing at their best. These include vitamins and minerals. Calcium and iron are two important minerals for athletes:. Athletes may need more protein than less-active teens, but most get plenty through a healthy diet. It's a myth that athletes need a huge daily intake of protein to build large, strong muscles. Muscle growth comes from regular training and hard work. Good sources of protein are fish, lean meats and poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts, soy, and peanut butter. Carbohydrates are an excellent source of fuel. Cutting back on carbs or following low-carb diets isn't a good idea for athletes. That's because restricting carbs can make you feel tired and worn out, which can hurt your performance. Good sources of carbs include fruits, vegetables, and grains. Choose whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, whole-wheat bread more often than processed options like white rice and white bread. Whole grains provide the energy athletes need and the fiber and other nutrients to keep them healthy. Sugary carbs such as candy bars or sodas don't contain any of the other nutrients you need. And eating candy bars or other sugary snacks just before practice or competition can give athletes a quick burst of energy, but then leave them to "crash" or run out of energy before they've finished working out. Everyone needs some fat each day, and this is extra true for athletes. That's because active muscles quickly burn through carbs and need fats for long-lasting energy. Like carbs, not all fats are created equal. Choose healthier fats, such as the unsaturated fat found in most vegetable oils, fish, and nuts and seeds. Limit trans fat like partially hydrogenated oils and saturated fat, found in fatty meat and dairy products like whole milk, cheese, and butter. Choosing when to eat fats is also important for athletes. Fatty foods can slow digestion, so it's a good idea to avoid eating them for a few hours before exercising. Sports supplements promise to improve sports performance. But few have proved to help, and some may do harm. Anabolic steroids can seriously mess with a person's hormones , causing unwanted side effects like testicular shrinkage and baldness in guys and facial hair growth in girls. Steroids can cause mental health problems, including depression and serious mood swings. Some supplements contain hormones related to testosterone, such as DHEA dehydroepiandrosterone. These can have similar side effects to anabolic steroids. Other sports supplements like creatine have not been tested in people younger than So the risks of taking them are not yet known. Salt tablets are another supplement to watch out for. People take them to avoid dehydration, but salt tablets can actually lead to dehydration and must be taken with plenty of water. Too much salt can cause nausea, vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea and may damage the stomach lining. They may require more calories and macronutrients to maintain strength and energy to compete at their optimum level. In addition to consuming sufficient amounts of calories and macronutrients, athletes may also require more vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients for peak recovery and performance. In this article, we discuss macronutrient and micronutrient needs of athletes and look at calories, meal timing, and how to tailor requirements to specific sports. We also give meal examples for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Having a suitable diet provides a person with enough energy and nutrients to meet the demands of training and exercise. In addition to helping a person perform optimally, it facilitates recovery. Athletes may need to consider :. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, — suggest that the optimal macronutrient ratios for adults are as follows:. The International Sports Sciences Association ISSA notes that people can adjust these ratios based on the goal of physical activity. For example, an endurance athlete would increase the amount of carbohydrates they eat, while a strength athlete would increase their protein intake. According to a review by the International Society of Sports Nutrition ISSN , typical macronutrient ratios for athletes are as follows:. Carbohydrates receive a great deal of attention in sports nutrition due to the vital role they play in athletic performance. Carbohydrates are typically the preferable fuel source for many athletes, particularly for high intensity and long duration exercise. This is because they supply ample glycogen storage and blood glucose to fuel the demands of exercise. To maintain liver and muscle glycogen stores, athletes will need different amounts of carbohydrates depending on their exercise volume. For example, an athlete weighing kg who performs high volume intense training would look to consume roughly 1,—1, g of carbohydrates. Protein also plays an essential role in sports nutrition, as it provides the body with the necessary amount of amino acids to help build and repair muscles and tissues. Athletes doing intense training may benefit from ingesting more than two times the recommended daily amount RDA of protein in their diet. For example, the dietary reference intake for adult females is 46 g, and for adult males — 56 g. That is why it may be beneficial for athletes to consume nearer to 92 g and g of protein, respectively. The ISSA suggests that many athletes can safely consume 2 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight daily, compared with the RDA of 0. The ISSN also notes that optimal protein intake may vary from 1. Higher amounts of protein can help athletes avoid protein catabolism and slow recovery, which the ISSN notes can contribute to injuries and muscle wasting over time. For moderate amounts of intense training, an athlete should consume 1. For high volume intense training, the ISSN suggests 1. Healthy protein sources include:. Fats are essential in the diet to maintain bodily processes, such as hormone metabolism and neurotransmitter function. Including healthy fats in the diet also helps satiety and can serve as a concentrated fuel source for athletes with high energy demands. Some athletes may choose to eat a ketogenic diet and consume higher amounts of fats. Healthy fat sources include oily fish , olive oil , avocados , nuts, and seeds. Athletes should ensure they consume the essential vitamins and minerals they need to support their general health and sports performance. People can usually achieve adequate intakes of essential vitamins and minerals by eating a varied, balanced diet. Some athletes may choose to take vitamin or mineral supplements or ergogenic aids, such as creatine. The ISSN recommends that consumers evaluate the validity and scientific merit of claims that manufacturers make about dietary supplements. There is little evidence to support the efficacy or safety of many dietary supplements, including:. However, scientists have shown that other ergogenic aids, such as caffeine and creatine monohydrate, are safe and effective for athletes. It is important to be aware that some athletic associations ban the use of certain nutritional supplements.